Category Archives: People

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G.B Chapman, Ltd showcased Hip! Hip! Zoo-Ray! a combination of animal and human artistes at the Globe in 1937. May Leslie, a Hull girl introduced a troupe of lions and can be seen sitting on Sultan. The act also included a group of comedy black bears, the famous troupe of Liberty horses, a group of performing Bengal tigers and a group of performing sea lions.

Lt. Wilfred Littleboy, was born in Stockton 26 September 1896, he was an officer in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, and sadly killed 9 October 1917, during the abortive attack on the Polderhoek Chateau, Ypres, a German HQ building. The 1st Battalion DLI was part of the Brigade which carried out the attack. Although it was initially successful, there was a high cost of life and the Château could not be held due to a combination of stiff resistance from an enemy firmly ensconced in concrete pill-boxes. Casualties rose, and the order was given to retire. By the end of the War there was little of the original chateau left, and the owners never returned.

Wilfred Littleboy, was the youngest son of Charles William Littleboy, a shipbuilder in Thornaby, and his wife Agnes Eveline. With the outbreak of the Great War, Wilfred was keen to do his bit so he gave up school and enlisted in The Royal Warwickshire Regiment, being promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. In October 1917 the Battalion received orders to attack the strongly defended Polderhoek Chateau, Wilfred went forward with his platoon. He was hit in the leg, but still pressed on with the attack, only to be shot again and killed. Wilfred’s parents donated a plot of land to the town of Thornaby-on-Tees. The park area known as Littleboy Park was opened to the public by his mother in 1930, as a memorial to their son.

Details courtesy of Bob Wilson. The War Grave image and commemorative certificate courtesy of Commonwealth War Graves Commission http://www.cwgc.org

This picture of St. John’s football team was taken in the school hall during the summer of 1958.

I’m sitting at the end of the front row, on the right as you look at it, (the only one with his shirt undone!) with John Morton behind me and John Sudlow to his right. Centre of the front row with the ball is that year’s captain, Keith Jones and that’s all, apart from Mr. Ogden, that I can remember. I and several others were in junior 3, the remainder junior 4.

This photograph was taken in the Gas Division Drawing Office and I would guess the year as 1960. Some of the names I remember are Ronnie Watson, Bev English, Ivor Anderson, Kenny Bell, Charlie Poole, Ian Findlay, Sam Lobb.

A group of Sheraton Comprehensive students visit that well known but nearly unpronounceable Welsh railway station Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch during a field expedition in the 1970s.

These trips were organised by the then geography teacher Brian Storey, he also took the photograph. These students will now be nearing their 60th birthday.